Recontre
by thequarterquells
Summary: An encounter between Cato and Katniss in the Training Center the night before the start of the Hunger Games changes everything.
1. Chapter 1

"You're not supposed to be in here." Katniss dropped the bow and spun around to look at Cato, the tribute from District 2.

"Neither are you." she shot back acidly, crossing her arms across her chest. "What do you want?"

"What are you and Lover Boy playing at?" he snapped, mocking her stance. "Pulling this to get sponsors?"

"It's none of your business." she lifted her chin. Cato smiled absently and approached her with the lazy gait of a hunter stalking towards its prey.

Her eyes widened and she backed into the wall, dropping her arms at her side. Cato was tall, over six feet, and pure muscle, rippling under his shirt. He was a powerhouse, built to kill, and he knew it. She was a small thing, something that he could snap in half without even realizing it.

"It is my business, girl on fire." he leaned towards her, his eyes narrowing. "It has _everything_ to do with me." his eyes trailed in appreciation over her face, down her throat, over her small breasts, and down her toned legs. She was a nice little thing, a strong competitor. He knew that it would come down to the two of them. He could feel it in his bones.

"Go, Cato." she whispered, her voice shaking. She was afraid that he would hurt her. "Go. The Games start tomorrow. You should rest."

"So should you, _sweetheart_." he grinned maliciously, watching her narrow shoulders stiffen at the tacked on endearment. Her jaw opens and closes several times before she says two words to him:

"Fuck you."

He tipped his head back and laughed, watching her shrink away from him. Cato knew this girl was fearless; after all, she had volunteered for this, but here, now, she shied away from him, afraid. His heart contracted painfully and he stepped away from her.

She thrust her shoulders forward and was about to slide away from him when he slammed his hands against the wall, boxing her in. "Don't you need your beauty rest?" he asked, craning his neck down to her eye level. "Pretty little Katniss. You're not ready for this. You're not ready to die."

Her eyes lowered-almost demurely-and she curled forward, a quiet hiccup coming deep within her chest. "You're right. I'm not ready to die. I'm not ready for this. I thought I was. But I'm only sixteen!" her eyes found his and she grabbed the front of his shirt desperately.

His eyes widened in surprise as she pressed her hands to her face. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can." the words escaped before he knew it, but as soon as he said them, he knew that they were true. "You're a fighter, Katniss. I can tell. You're on _fire_." she smiled at the last word and looked up at him.

When her eyes met his, his stomach began to ache painfully. Before he knew it, he had leaned down and pressed his mouth against hers. Her mouth, small and warm, tasted of mint. His hand slid across the wall to cup the back of her head gently. He worked his fingers through her hair, deepening the kiss.

She planted her palms firmly against his chest, as if to push him away. A few seconds later, she did, ducking away from him. "Why did you do that?" she demanded, her face pale. "_Why did you kiss me_?" Cato stepped away from her, surprised.

"I'm sorry."

"Leave me alone!"

"Katniss-"

"GO." she picked up a bow and threw it at him. He caught it and threw it to the ground, lunging for her and pinning her against the wall by her wrist. He stared down at her, panting.

"Don't."

"Let go."

"Apologize."

"No. You deserved it!"

"Apologize!"

"Fuck you!" she screamed, slapping him with her free hand. "Let me go!" his eyes found hers and she froze, her hand falling limply to her side. And then his mouth is on hers again, fighting for control. She goes down without a fight, without a word.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't own Hunger Games, it belongs to Mrs. Collins :) Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Cato blinks slowly, staring at the harsh sunlight. He glances to his right and there she is, her face set in a determined scowl. And when the sixty seconds is up, he's gone, his powerful legs carrying him towards the Cornucopia.

His hands close around the hilt of a short, broad sword and he swings it up and around, slicing someone's throat. A smile curls around his lips and he turns to face the wave of running tributes. This is where he belongs.

As he fights his way through the waves, he thinks of her, the way her skin melted under his fingers, like butter. Her mint mouth. He will do this for her, he decides. He will kill as many as he can for her sake. Because if he can't win, then she will.

"Cato!" he lifts his head to see Clove standing next to Lover Boy, confusion written all over her face. "He wants in."

"Fine." he waves a hand, and approaches the impressive pile of supplies they managed to acquire. He knows that she only has that orange pack and he regrets that, hoping that he will be able to get some supplies to her. "Lets hunt."

The other make sounds of agreement and assemble their weapons before venturing into the woods.

"This is going to be a piece of cake." Clove says giddily, skipping through the trees. "Eleven dead? HA!"

"Yes, but unfortunately, the fun part is over." Marvel says. "Now it's the boring, tracking part."

"No tracking." Cato says. "They'll come to us, one by one." the others laugh and agree. Only Peeta is silent, dragging his weapon along almost dejectedly. The others ignore him, unsure of how to act around him.

Cato cracks his knuckles and attempts to smile, but merely grimaces.

They descend on the girl before she can even react. Then she's screaming, pleading for them to spare her. Clove's knife is in her stomach and out within a minute, back into the folds of her jacket.

Marvel and Glimmer laugh. "Twelve down and eleven to go!" Marvel hoots.

"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." Cato says, rolling his eyes. Marvel is such an idiot, but he's a good ally, so Cato keeps him around...for now. They begin to walk away, talking about the victims that they have yet to catch.

All Cato can hear is the snap of twigs below their feet and the occasional bird.

He stops. "Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?

The others stop to glare at him. "I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Glimmer says, tossing back her shiny hair.

"Unless she isn't dead." Marvel counters.

"She's dead," Clove snarls harshly, whipping out the bloody knife. "I struck her myself." she waves the knife around, her face twisted into a mask of rage.

Cato replies quietly, "Then where is the cannon?"

The others grind their teeth and shift their weight. "Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done." Marvel says. Clove snarls at him.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice!" Glimmer agrees quickly, eying the knife nervously.

"I said she's dead!" Clove snaps and the three of them begin to argue. Cato rolls his eyes and notices something in the tree behind them. A slender belt, tied around the branch and something on top of it. His eyes narrow.

"We're wasting time!" Peeta says harshly. "I'll go finish her and let's move on!" he disappears towards the girl, a frown on his bruised face. As soon as he disappears, the others begin to whisper.

"Why don't we just kill him now and get it over with?" Marvel asks, annoyed. He runs his fingers through his messy hair and glances at them.

"Let him tag along. What's the harm? And he's handy with that knife." Cato says, "besides, he's our best chance of finding her."

"Why? You think she bought into that sappy romance stuff?" asks Clove, raising one eyebrow. She's disgusting, Cato thinks, as she examines the blood on her knife curiously before wiping it on her jacket.

Glimmer rolls her eyes before answering. "She might have. Seemed pretty simpleminded to me. Every time I think about her spinning around in that dress, I want to puke."

"Wish we knew how she got that eleven." Marvels says enviously.

"Bet you Lover Boy knows." Cato says, his tone bitter. He hears Peeta's footsteps and they go silent. "Was she dead?"

"No. But she is now." a cannon fires and the others smile. "Ready to move on?"

The others begin to leave, but Cato hangs back. "I'll catch up. I want to check something." he says, waving them away. As soon as the others are gone, he approaches the tree, his heart pounding like a drum. "Katniss."

Her face appears above, pale and beautiful. "Cato, what are you doing?"

"Are you okay?" unconsciously, his brow knits together and he reaches up to grasp a thick branch. He climbs as high as he can before stopping, his face turned up towards her. A mortal worshipping a goddess.

"I'm fine." she slides out of her sleeping bag and slides from branch to branch, resting in front of him. Distant screams tell them that they pack had found another tribute. Cato reaches forward and touches her cheek gently. The longer the pack takes, the more time they have alone. As his fingers touch her skin, she pulls away, cautious. "Don't."

"Katniss, do you love him?"

"No." she shakes her head and leans away from him. "I don't love anyone."

Cato nods, hurt yet satisfied. "I'm going to keep the others away from you." he smiles and drops his hand. He turns to glance down at the ground and sighs. "You know, if it wasn't for these damned Games, we would have never met."

"I know. But is our meeting such a good thing?"

"What?" his head swivels to look at her. "What does that mean?

"We're enemies. We're going to have to kill each other." she shakes her head. "Go, Cato. Don't look for me."

"Katniss—"

"_Go_." his eyes narrow.

"Fine." he drops out of the tree and heads towards the screams. He had never been rejected by a girl. They flocked to him, left and right. Rejection hurt. He felt pathetic, weak. He could be a good husband, he would bring home the goods. But here was Katniss, a pathetic little _girl, _from District 12. His mouths puckers and he stops cold, his mind spinning. When he won the Games, he would find a nice wife, settle down in Victor's Village, and make lots of babies. That was how it was going to be.

"She's nothing." he says aloud.

Nothing but a squirrely thing, sleeping in trees. Ha! But as he continued to think about how great his life would be, he couldn't help but think that it would be better with _her_ there. His wife. The mother of his children. The woman he came home to every night…

A chill drops down his spine.

"Oh no." he whispers as the pack finds him.

"Cato lets go." The girl from District 4, Rea, says with a yawn. "There's nothing here."

—

Cato settles into the curve of the Cornucopia, his eyes scanning the Careers camp at the edge of the lake. Marvel had created a bonfire and was now roasting some soft of bird. Clove and Glimmer clean their weapons, whispering in sharp voices.

"So who's left?" he calls out lazily, watching Clove jump at the sound of his voice. She lifts her green eyes to look at him, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Pathetic.

"Us, the boy from 10, the boy from 3, the girl from 5, and both from 11 and 12." Rea rattles off, shaking water from her hair. "I can't believe those losers from 11 are still alive." she shakes her head in disgust.

"Do you they had sponsors?" Peeta asks quietly from his perch next to the fire.

Glimmer bursts out laughing, dropping the quiver of arrows into the sand and doubling over. "Sponsors—for District 11? Don't be stupid!"

"Keep your voice down!" Clove hisses, swatting at Glimmer.

"Why? No one is going to think to come after us." Cato grumbles. "Get some sleep, all of you. Tomorrow we hunt."

—

The sounds of animals awoke him. They burst from the woods, galloping towards the Careers campsite, scattering weapons and ashes from the fire as they passed by. Birds soared through the bright blue sky, their chirps echoing in Cato's head. He looks towards the tree and he sees what had disturbed the animals. A wall of fire, burning through the forest.

The forest, where Katniss was.

Before he can think properly, he is on his feet, eyes scanning the forest. Clove calls after him, her voice full of terror. He runs, his long legs getting him to the edge of the forest in an instant. He shoves his way past branches, nearly tripping over a fallen log. How does she move through the forest so easily when there are so many trees?

He bursts through a clump of berry bushes, nearly knocking her over. "Cato?" she hisses, soot on her face and her eyes wild. "What are you doing here? Get away from me before the other Careers—"

He grabs her arm, dragging her behind him. "Shut up and run! I'm trying to save your ass!"

"My leg!" she cries, her breathing ragged. "One of the fireballs burned my calf." Cato glances down at the back of her calf and his stomach swoops. The burn is bad, the skin red and blistered.

He glances behind them at the wall of fire and before Katniss can say anything, tosses her over his shoulder and runs.

A fireball crashes into a tree feet from Cato's heat, the heat of it making his eyes sting. Katniss is swearing in his ear, her hands grasping his jacket tightly. "Shut up!" he repeats, leaping over a burning log. "Just shut up!"

He doesn't know how long he ran. But by the time he stopped, all traces of the attack long gone, his lungs were burning and his shoulders aching. And before he could control it, his legs had given out from beneath him and they slammed onto the ground.

She rolls away from him, her chest heaving. "Are—are you insane?" she gasps, fixing her grey eyes on his face. "I was fine!"

"Why can't you just say thank you?" he chokes out, his eyes watering from the smoke. "I just saved your life!"

She scrambles away from him, crouched near a small spring. "Go back to your camp, I'm fine." he can almost feel the hatred, the venom, in her voice. It hurts him, knowing that she despises him. He leans against a tree, allowing himself a moment to rest.

They survey each other wearily, her by the spring and him resting against the tree. He takes in her face, pale and sooty. Her trembling hands, gripping her pack tightly. She shows no recollection of their encounter in the training center, the intimacy they shared.

"I'm not going to hurt you." he murmurs, absently stroking the ground. "I want to protect you."

"Why? We're in the middle of the arena. Only one of us can survive, or have you forgotten?" she gently lies on her stomach in front of the spring, dipping her hands into the cool water. "What happened in the training center was a lapse in judgement. I was—over emotional and you were there. I'm sorry to have...led you on."

"Katniss." he moves closer to her, placing a hand on the small of her back. "We'll probably be dead by morning. Why can't you just let yourself be young before then? There is no Prim to protect here."

She lifts her eyes to his and surveys him in silence. "But there's me to protect. And you're my enemy."


	3. Chapter 3

_ "Ready to see the competition?" Enobaria said, her golden teeth gleaming in the bright lights of the capitol train. "I mean, your victims?" Cato rolled his eyes and watched Brutus and Enobaria exchange knowing glances. _

_ Clove snickered and settled into her seat, carelessly arranging the skirt of her burgundy dress. Her dark hair hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, splayed across the back of the velvet couch. He heard the whispers at school, murmuring about the things Clove had done to people that had crossed her. She always carried a knife in her bag, no matter where she was._

_ Brutus flicked on the large television, catching the tail end of the District One reaping Their escort, a short, plump woman with hideous blue hair, was standing between the tributes, a tall sneering boy and a statuesque girl with flowing blonde hair. Citizens were cheering, looking up at their tributes with adoration in their eyes, ignoring the fact that they might not come home alive._

_ Next is the District Two reaping. Their escort, whom Cato could never remember the name of, plucked Clove's name from the ball and read it out, watching with cool eyes as she slid from the crowd and took her place on stage._

_ The male tribute was chosen, a meek boy with sad eyes that Cato recognized from school. He was always alone, even during group activities. Some said that he wasn't quite right._

_ And then Cato was watching himself volunteer, nearly knocking the boy over as he rushed towards the stage. "I volunteer!"_

_ Enobaria and Brutus clapped him on the back, laughing and muttering about how quickly the other tributes were going to die._

_ The rest of the reapings blurred together, few standing out in his head. The girl from District Five, fox-like in appearance. The little girl from District Eleven and the monster of a boy beside her. He rivaled Cato with his sheer mass. Cato looked forward to taking him down._

_ And, finally, District Twelve, where the dregs of Panem resided, shrouded in coal dust and defeat. As their escort called out the name of the female tribute with some pathetic, flowery name, another girl barrelled forward._

_ "I volunteer!" she shouted, the square completely silent. It seems as if the entire world had gone silent. Clove and Enobaria, who had been chatting before, were staring at the screen, watching the volunteer make her way up to the stage, passing the younger girl, who was being carried away by a tall, dark-haired boy, screaming._

_ The volunteer was younger than Cato, with a small, strong body and a dark braid. She was rough around the edges, but pretty enough. Cato watched her mount the stage with the lithe steps of a hunter, her back rigid and her fists balled together tightly._

_ "Katniss Everdeen."_

—

When Cato opens his eyes, he is lying alone next to the pond, his muscles aching and the trees blurring together. He sits up suddenly, sending a sliver a pain through his brain. "Katniss?" he hisses, scrambling to his feet. He waits for her reply, anxiously scanning the area. Had she been killed, the cannon firing while Cato slept? Unlikely.

"Cato! There you are!" the Careers flood into the small clearing, brandishing weapons and grins. "That girl from District Twelve was just here. Did you see her?"

Cato shakes his head and they take off, heading a few yards deeper into the forest. And then they find her, sitting up in a tree. Cato sees that she is trembling, her face ashen from the effort it took to run. As she surveys them, a small smile creeps onto her face.

"How's everything with you?" she calls down, her voice pleasant.

Cato smiles thinly and steps forward. "Well enough." he answers. "Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste. The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?" her eyes bore into Cato's, causing his stomach to clench painfully.

"Think I will." he approaches the tree, his heart pounding loudly in his ears.

"Here, take this, Cato." Glimmer shoves the bow and arrows at him, the cool metal gently bumping against his chest.

He pushes them away. "No, I'll do better with my sword." he begins to climb, carefully selecting the strongest-looking branches. She begins to climb as well, scurrying up the tree like a squirrel.

_I'm not going to hurt you. Please._

The branch snaps beneath Cato's weight and he slams into the ground, the breath whooshing out of his lungs. Glimmer steps forward to scale the tree, but eventually falls.

He can see her, higher up still, a grin on her face as she sat on a branch.

"How can we get her?" Clove hisses.

"Glimmer, can you shoot her?" Rea turns to Glimmer expectantly. But they all know that Glimmer is incompetent when it comes to archery. "Never mind."

The others begin to argue in a fierce whisper, nearly resorting to violent. Peeta is the one that finally ends it. "Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning."

—

His eyes snap open, frantically searching the temporary camp they had set up. Glimmer and the rest are asleep, oblivious. Cato silently rises and makes his way towards the small pool. When he emerges into the small clearing, bathed in moonlight, he sees her, crouching down and filling her water bottle.

Her back straightens and she peers at him with wide eyes. "Glimmer fell asleep." she notes, as if excusing her leaving the tree. "I was almost out of water."

He crouches next to her, watching her nimble fingers screw the cap back on and tuck it into her backpack. They are silent, inches between them.

"Are you okay? That fall looked bad." her voice is quiet and she isn't looking at him, but he can hear the concern.

"I'm fine. How are your burns?"

"A sponsor sent me burn cream." she reaches into her backpack and pulls out a small jar wrapped in a silver parachute. "Let me see your arm."

He holds out his left arm, rolling up the damaged sleeve to reveal a mild burn on his forearm. He hadn't even realized that it had happened. "You don't miss anything do you?" he murmurs, watching her rub some of the cream on his skin. Coolness spreads across the burn, making his sigh in relief.

She smiles, a real smile that reaches her eyes. The first one he had ever seen. "I don't miss anything." she repeats softly. Her eyes lift up to his and they stare at each other, her hand resting tenderly against his forearm.

This time she leans in, gently pressing her mouth against his, her hand sliding up to grip his bicep. He pulls her closer, deepening the kiss. Her arms wrap around his neck, her slim fingers tangling in his hair. His hands close around her waist, pulling her body as close to his as he possibly can. He doesn't care that there are cameras everywhere. He doesn't care that they're supposed to be hacking each other to death. He just doesn't care.

"We shouldn't do this out in the open." she murmurs against his mouth. "The Careers are so close."

Cato pulls away, only to press his lips against her cheek. Her fingers are still tangled in his hair, sending shivers down his spine. "You're right. Scamper up your tree and leave me be."

She slides away from him, returning the burn cream to the backpack. Once she's on her feet, she flashes a winning smile at Cato and disappears into the trees.

He remains in the clearing, resting, a small smile on his face. He can still taste her on his mouth, delicious and heady. This girl had somehow managed to weasel her way under his skin, during _the games_, of all places. Cato, whose sexual appetite had taken to the backseat when he had begun his training. Cato, who had plenty of girls to choose from back in District 2. Cato, the expected victor.

"What are you doing?" he lifts his head to find Glimmer staring at him, her head cocked to the side, her blonde hair glowing in the moonlight. "Why do you keep running off?"

"Why does it matter?" he snaps, leaping to his feet. "You were supposed to be keeping watch!"

She recoiled, her emerald eyes flittering around the small clearing. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again." with silent footsteps, she approaches him, her eyes smoldering. "I see the way you look at me, Cato." _with disgust?_

He stares at her, unable to speak, watching as she presses her hand against his chest. She presses herself against him, her eyes burning into his. "Glimmer, stop." he finally says, shaken by the feel of her body against his.

"Come on, Cato. Lets have some fun before these Games are over. One of us going to be dead soon." she smiles. She has a point, he thinks. One, of perhaps both, of us will be dead soon. Why not live it up now? It's not like he's going to get to second base with Katniss anyway.

She can see the hunger in his eyes, flaring up like flames. His hands press against her, slamming her into the nearest tree. "I've wanted this for so long." she groans, her fingers tangling in his hair, like Katniss had done less than an hour ago. "You're so amazing, Cato."

He doesn't reply, instead busying himself with removing her clothes. He doesn't want to think, he doesn't want to speak. He just wants to feel.

As they continue, Cato risks a glance up at the tree, where he sees a a hand, bracing the branch below it, shaking. A quiet sob reaches his ears right before Glimmer cries out, digging her fingers into Cato's flesh. _Katniss._


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as the tracker jacker nest had dropped on their camp, he knew that Katniss had had something to do with it. As he ran towards the lake, the venom pumping through his veins, he just knew that she had dropped the nest, but what he didn't know was why.

Why would she do that if she knew that he was down there, unsuspecting? Why didn't she wake him first, warn him?"

_Because of Glimmer, nimrod. She saw you getting freaky with Glimmer._

He pauses, slamming his fist into the nearest tree. The other are gone, having scattered as soon as the nest had burst. He didn't know if they were all alive, but he didn't care. The rage that had taken ahold of him so often before was back, tinting his vision red and making his heart pound.

He wanted to snap Glimmer's neck for what she had done. He wanted to snap his own neck for giving in.

Before he can do anything he knew he would regret, he pauses, bracing a hand on the nearest tree. _Calm down, Cato. Glimmer just wanted to live it up before she died. So do you. And you know that Katniss would have never done what Glimmer had. Besides, Glimmer will get what's coming to her. Just wait. But for now, go find Katniss._

He turns on his heel and makes his way back to the former camp, nearly tripping over Glimmer's bloated body. Her hair, so luminous in the moonlight, was pale and thin. Emerald eyes lost in her puffy face.

As he makes his way towards the pond, he hears Peeta. "Run! Run!" and when Cato slashes his way into the clearing, both Peeta and Katniss start. Peeta's eyes are round with fear, trained on Cato and his sword.

Before Cato can get a good look at her, Katniss flies into the foliage, leaving Peeta behind. The rage that Cato had subsisted before has returned, worse than ever. Just _seeing _Peeta and Katniss together nearly drove him to madness. _Lover boy isn't playing around_.

"Lover Boy helping out?" he taunts, circling Peeta slowly. He is badly stung in several places, his face pale as he fought the hallucinations. "How romantic. Bet they're eating that up in the Capitol." he smirks, watching Peeta flinch. "But I'm not."

Peeta doesn't say a word, instead slowly drawing his knife. Cato stops, face to face with Peeta. "What are you going to do, Lover Boy?" _I know that you're little show with Katniss could possibly save her life, but I don't care. I want you dead._

"Where are the others?" Clove leaps to her feet as soon as Cato appears, the sword dragging by his side and his steps heavy. "What happened?"

"Glimmer and Rea are dead. Peeta will be too. Soon." he slumps onto the grass, leaning against one of the many packs. Marvel and Clove stand over him, worry on their faces. "It was that girl from 12. She...she dropped the nest on us while we slept."

Clove's eyes narrowed in disgust. "That bitch!" she paces around Cato, absently pulling a knife from the folds of her jacket. "I knew that she wouldn't fight fair!"

Marvel rolls his eyes. "This is the Hunger Games, Clove. There is no such thing as fighting fair." he disappears from Cato's line of vision, leaving Clove fidgeting restlessly.

"What?" Cato glares up at her.

"Did you and Glimmer...never mind." she hurries back to her set up, throwing herself onto the blanket she had claimed.

_Had she heard Glimmer and me? I had told her to be quiet, but she—what does it matter? She's dead, and why does Clove care? Why does she…_

He treks into the forest alone, determined to find her. It had been a day and a half since the tracker jackers. Marvel and Clove were at the camp, aiding the District 3 boy with his trap. Cato wanted no part in that.

As he moves through the forest, he finds traces of human activity. Blood here, a crushed bush there. Someone had been wreaking havoc through the forest. Perhaps someone who wasn't quite in control of their body…

His eyes narrow and he follows the trail, nearly falling face-first into a ditch surrounded by trees. He catches himself on the edge, cursing under his breath. He is about to turn away, but a flash of gold catches his eyes. A pin.

There, at the bottom of the ditch, covered in leaves, is Katniss.

_I could kill her now. End it once and for all. _He absently reaches for his sword, his eyes scanning the area. They were alone, who knew how deep into the forest. No one would find them. Hell, no one was _looking_. She was possibly unconscious, but definitely unable to defend herself against Cato, who was almost three times her size. He could do it, if he wanted. And a part of him wanted to.

"No…" she mumbles, her voice catching on the wind. Cato freezes, his eyes flickering over her dirty face. Her eyelashes are fluttering against her cheeks, her lips parting slightly. "No...Cato…"

And that steels his resolve. He begins to climb down into the ditch, nearly losing his balance and crashing into a tree. He is shaking, terrified at the thought of being so close to her after so long. After what he did. "I'm here." he murmurs, finally reaching her. He sits, gently pulling her into his lap. "I'm here."

She is shivering, despite the warmth of the sun that trickles down though the thick tress. Her icy fingers brush against Cato's arm, sending chills racing down his spine. "W-where were you?" she sighs, curling against him. Even though he knows that she is hallucinating, he is still floored by her words. _She was looking for me._

"I was looking for you." he whispers, pressing his lips against her forehead. "And I've found you."

"I'm so cold." before she can even finish speaking, Cato is removing his jacket, firmly wrapping it around her. "Cato...why."

"Why what?" he asks gently, tucking her hair behind her ears.

She sighs again, turning to hide her face in his jacket. "Why were you with...with _Glimmer. _What about me?" her voice is small, dreamy. Cato's stomach clenches painfully and he glances up at the green canopy of trees, protecting them. Why had he given in to Glimmer?

"I don't know. I was frustrated. And she...she was right. We'll all be dead soon anyways."

"But...I thought you liked _me._" her eyes flutter open and focus briefly on Cato's face before flickering around at the trees that rose around them. "Why did you lead me on and then get with Glimmer?"

"She...is nothing. I wished it had been with you. I do." he's pleading with her, suddenly afraid that she will start to hate him. _Like she should._ "Let's not talk about her."

"Why did you choose me?" her eyes are closed again, her body still, tense. Waiting.

"We chose each other." he leans down and presses his warm mouth to hers, willing her to kiss him back. When she doesn't, her mouth hard against his, he pulls away and continues. "You're on fire, Katniss. You're...strong and determined. And I like that about you."

She is quiet, her eyes half-open. "I...wanted to get back at you. Because I...I opened myself to you, and you chose _Glimmer_...Don't ever do that again." her voice is suddenly hard, but still like velvet rubbing against his skin. "You're...mine."

His heart skips several beats as he takes in what she had just said. _You're mine._ "And you are mine." he repeats, leaning down to kiss her again. This time, she parts her lips willingly, welcoming him back into her good graces.

Even though she is hallucinating and will not remember this, even though it's only for a while, Cato is still content. For a fleeting moment, they were safe, _together_. Protected by the canopy of trees, watched by thousands, safe and sound.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for all the positive feedback, it really makes my heart fuzzy! What did you guys think of the movie? I thought it was perfect! I added the Glimmer scene in because CatoGlimmer happened in the movie (and because I'm evil). What do you think will happened to our "star-crossed" lovers next? If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know! **


	5. Chapter 5

"Who's left?" Cato strides into the camp, breathing in the scent of freshly turned dirt. Clove is at the edge of the lake, washing dirt from her dark hair. Marvel is resting under one of the tents, sweating.

"Us, the girl from 5, boy from 10, and both from 11 and 12." Marvel answers, dusting off his pants. Cato sits, letting his head fall and closing his eyes. "Ten in total. It's getting close. The sponsors must be going crazy."

District 3 sinks to the ground, shaking. "The mines are all set up. I can show you the path now if you like."

Cato surveys him in silence, taking in his small frame and ashen skin. It would take a second to kill him. _One less tribute. _"Maybe later. I'm tired."

He glances up at the noon sun, beating down upon them. Soon, she will be waking up. Her body stiff and her mind full of rage. She will have no recollection of their conversation. _You're mine. _Is he still hers, even though she hates him?

Marvel interrupts his thoughts. "Where do you think everyone is?" he asks, resting next to Cato.

Cato is silent for a moment, digging the toe of his boot into the hard earth. "We know that Thresh is in the field. And the rest of them are in the forest."

"What about Lover Boy?" Clove plops down next to Cato, pulling her damp hair back from her face. "What did you do to him?" he can hear the thinly-veiled concern in her voice. Cato had, after all, seen the way she had looked at Lover Boy, almost adoringly. He had seen it when they had first watched the Reaping. She had been mesmerized by the blonde boy, the bakers son. _She's such a child._

"I cut him on his thigh. He was helping her." Cato's voice is wooden, hollow. "He won't last much longer."

The others are silent, allowing the information to sink in. "Everything just happened so quickly." Clove whispers, her eyes glassy as she stares out at the lake. "I just want to go home."

And suddenly, Cato no longer sees her as the disgusting girl that he had before. He sees the vulnerability, the fear, that she hides behind a mask of brashness. Clove is, after all, a fourteen year old girl, forced to kill others. She is just a child.

"I'm kind of glad I was chosen." Marvel says suddenly, a blush creeping up his cheeks. "I got to talk to Glimmer. I've had a crush on her for as long as I can remember. It was nice to talk to her, even if for a little while, before I die."

"There's still a chance for you," Clove says fiercely. "Don't count yourself out yet!"

Marvel chuckles. "I never had a chance, even if I am from District 1. There's you two, and the girl from 12. She has someone waiting for her at home. I don't. The only person I cared about is dead." he turns to look out at the lake. "She was so young."

"Shame burns through Cato. Even though he'd had no feelings for Glimmer, nor had he known of Marvel's feelings, he still felt awful. Glimmer had gone to _him, _not to the boy that had loved her.

"Maybe you'll see her soon." Cato is on his feet in an instant, his sword by his side.

"Perhaps." Marvel's gaze follows Cato to the edge of the forest, wondering if Cato will be the one to end his life. "Where are you going?"

"I need to think." Cato calls, and with that, he's gone.

* * *

><p>It takes Cato several hours to find his way back to the ditch, by which time had been long deserted. He wanders through the trees, not bothering to cover his tracks. He is silent, as lithe and deadly as a mountain lion. Any tribute in his way stands no chance against him.<p>

By the time Cato stops to drink from a pond, it is nearly dark, the moon rising and the nocturnal animals coming out. He reaches into a low-hanging tree next to the pond, plump apples hanging from the branches.

He takes one, biting into it. "How do you know that isn't poisonous?" he turns to see Katniss behind him, gripping her bow tightly.

"We have these back home." he tosses it to her. As it arcs through the sky, she pulls an arrow out and shoots. The arrow thuds through the apple and into the nearest tree. "Impressive." he watches as she strides towards the tree, reaching up on her tip-toes to snatch the arrow. Her fingers just graze the uniformly cut feathers.

"Need a hand?" he asks sarcastically, using his hips to gently push her out of the way. He plucks the arrow from the tree and places it back into her quiver. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." her voice is cold, unwavering. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

"I wanted to—"

"Katniss?" they both turn to see Rue half hidden by a tree, her eyes wide. "What are you doing?" her eyes flicker from Cato's shocked face to Katniss's hard gaze. "Why are you talking to him?"

"It's nothing. Go back to the camp." Katniss says gently, her eyes soft as she looks at the child. He imagines that this is how she is around her sister. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

"What about Peeta?" Rue whispers. "I don't trust _him_." her eyes dart back to Cato.

"Peeta." Katniss murmurs his name, turning away to look at the dark trees. After a moment, she looks at Cato, her eyes locking on his. "He won't hurt me, Rue."

"I promise." Cato raises his hand, his eyes on Rue. "I just wanted to talk."

Rue stares at him, her large eyes sharp. After several moments, she nods and slithers back into the dark cover of trees. "What did you want to talk about?" Katniss' tone is businesslike, brusque.

"I wanted to apologize."

"For?"

"For Glimmer." as soon as he says her name, there is a chill in the air. "For what I did with her." he steps towards Katniss. "Do you remember anything about our conversation?"

"What conversation?"

"I...I found you while you were hallucinating. We talked." she didn't remember anything. He can tell by the way her brow furrows and her eyes narrow. She doesn't recall any part of their conversation. And it kills him.

"I don't want to see you again." she takes a deep breath, lifting her eyes to his. "I let my guard down around you and it won't happen again. What happened in the training center, what happened in the arena, it was all a mistake. I—I was emotional and foolish." she shakes her head, a soft laugh suddenly escaping her lips. And, just as quickly, she is serious again, her smoke eyes lowered. "The next time I see you will be when we're the last two standing." she turns towards the trees, her head still lowered.

"Katniss, please—" Cato had never had to plead for anything in his life. Especially not for a girl. The word is unfamiliar on his tongue. "Please, let me ex—"

"NO!" she whirls around. In an instant, Cato is on the ground, Katniss sitting on his chest, and a knife at his throat. "Leave me alone, Cato. Go."

"Do you hate me?" he trails his fingers down the side of her face, making her shudder. "I wouldn't be surprised if you did." he cups her face gently, his thumb pressed against the corner of her mouth. She subconsciously leans against his hand, lowering her gaze. A moment of weakness.

And then it's gone.

She pushes herself to her feet, tucking the knife inside her jacket. "Go." and with that, she picks up her bow and disappears into the trees.

* * *

><p>Marvel and District 3 are asleep, sprawled around a dying fire. Clove sits, curled up under a blanket, slowly rocking. As soon as Cato steps into the light, her head snaps up. "Where were you?" her voice is shaky as she hastily wipes tears from her cheeks. She had been crying, hard.<p>

"Walking. Why are you crying?"

"Just thinking about home." _she can't even look me in the eye._ He sits next to her, pulling her under his arm. They both know that there is nothing romantic about the embrace. The embrace was nothing but a remainder of home, of what they had left behind. "Can I sleep next to you? You smell like home."

Cato smiles thinly. "Of course."

* * *

><p>The three careers stand over the District 10 boy, watching in silence as he scrambles for his blade, already trapped under Marvel's boot. "Please!" he cries, tears streaking down his white cheeks. "Please, don't!"<p>

Cato glances at the other two. Clove seems ill, her green eyes focused on the grass. She isn't up for the kill. And neither is Cato. "Marvel." he says. "Go ahead." Marvel glances at Cato in surprise. "Make it quick."

Marvel descends on the tribute, the other two watching him in silence. _What happened to the lovesick boy I had spoken to yesterday? He has been replaced by a monster. Am I just like him? Once Katniss is gone, I revert back to being a monster?_

The cannon shakes Cato from his thoughts and they return to their camp in silence. One kill was enough. Marvel retreats to the lake to wash the blood from his face. "Are you going to run off again?" Clove asks, appearing next to Cato. "Like you have been for a while now."

"No. Not yet."

"What are you doing out there anyway?"

Cato thinks for a moment. "Hunting."

* * *

><p><em>No, no. It was faulty. It can't have been true. She wouldn't blow it up.<em>

Cato races through the trees, Marvel and Clove directly behind him. _Anyone but her. Not Katniss, not Katniss. I don't want to have to kill her._

As they burst into the clearing, they know that all of their supplies are lost. Where the towering heap had been was nothing more than a pile of ashes. "What happened?" Cato shouts, whirling towards the District 3 boy. "_What happened_?"

"I don't know!" he cried, raising his hands in surrender. "I was with you the whole time!" Cato knows that this is true, that it isn't the boys fault, but he'd rather blame it on him—take his rage out on him—instead of Katniss. Cato takes the boys head in his arms, and with a quick jerk and mumbled apology, snaps his neck.

Dread settles in the pit of his stomach as he drops the body and retreats to the far side of the lake with the others. "The attacker wasn't killed." Clove says as the District 3's body is retrieved. "They survived. Who was it?"

"Maybe it was that District 5 girl. She was smart." Cato says half-heartedly. _Anyone but Katniss._

"It was that District 12 girl, I know it." Clove spits, sneering. "She'll pay for that. And the tracker jacker nest. I'll torture her for you, Cato."

He ignores her, instead surveying the empty field, littered with the occasional object. He would have to go through it all later. _Did you get away?_

They wait by the edge of the lake for hours, waiting for the cannon that would signal the death of the attacker. But it doesn't come. As the hours pass, the rage that Cato had taken out on District 3 returns, settling in the pit of his stomach, coiled like a viper. He didn't care that the object of his rage and affections was one in the same. He wanted to make her suffer for what she had done. The tracker jackers, the supplies. The lies she had told him. _You're mine. _The way she pushed him away. _Leave me alone, Cato. Go._

_I fell for it. Everything._

Cato reaches into his pack and retrieves two pairs of night-googles. He passes the second pair to Clove. "Let's go. Now. If the attacker is still alive, I'm going to find them myself and make them pay." _I'm going to find you, Katniss. And you're going to pay._

* * *

><p><strong>What happens next? Thank you to everyone who reviewed and offered ideassuggestions! If there is a song that comes to mind when you think of Katniss and/or Cato, let me know! IMPORTANT: For some reason, the last two chapters have been uploading kind of weirdly. There should be breaks in there, but they aren't showing up. Sorry about that! **


	6. Chapter 6

Marvel and Cato stride through the forest, returning to the place where Marvel had set up his trap the night before. It had taken him several hours, but he was positive that the trap would be effective. _Maybe I'll catch Katniss._

Clove had stayed at the lake, claiming to want to dig through the remains of their supplies. Cato suspects that she just wanted to look for Lover Boy. Before, he would have smirked at the thought? But now? He found it endearing. Ever since Katniss had burst into his life, Cato had become a lot more..._sensitive_, something that bothered him greatly. Emotions were messy, cargo that he could not deal with. _Katniss and I were both stoics before the games. Now look at us. Pathetic._

But it secretly pleased him, knowing that he had turned the stoic, strong Katniss Everdeen into an emotional mess. Or so he thought.

_I can't figure this girl out. I like her—hell, I love her—and I want to be with her. But whenever I think of her, I want to rip her throat out. And what does she think about me? She pushed me away at the beginning. Then she came on to me. And now she hates me….Hell, why does it matter? I'm going to kill her regardless of my feelings. I have no choice._

"It was sprung!" Marvel cries and sprints towards the clearing. Cato hangs back, suddenly unsure. What if it's Katniss in that trap? What if Marvel gets to her before I can?

"Katniss! Katniss!" Katniss wasn't it in the trap. It was Rue.

Before he realizes what's happening, Cato is sprinting after Marvel. "MARVEL—"

"Rue, I'm coming!" _no, no. Not this. Not her._

Cato skids into the clearing right as Marvel throws his spear. Seconds later, an arrow is in his neck. He falls to his knees, his fingers scrabbling against the arrow. He pulls it out before collapsing, dead.

Cato hovers near the edge of the clearing, watching Katniss cradle Rue in her lap. He is intruding on a private moment, meant only for Katniss and Rue. Fury courses through him as he thinks of the cameras everywhere, stealing yet another moment for their pleasure.

"You blew up the food?" Rue whispers. Her voice is trembling, her wide eyes focused solely on Katniss.

"Every last bit." Katniss whispers.

"You have to win." Rue says. As ache settles in Cato's chest as he watches, nearly forcing him to his knees. Part of him wants to leave, to run in the opposite direction and forget the death he is witnessing. But part of him wants to stay, to kneel next to Rue and promise her that she'll be okay.

Because he can no longer ignore the injustices of the Capitol, the pain they had caused. The thousands of people that suffered, the children that had died for the entertainment of the Capitol citizens. Cato, a product of these games, a Career. He was just as much of a victim as Rue. They had both had their lives snatched away before they could fully live them. Cato, brain-washed since his birth, trained to kill_. _And Rue, sweet, innocent Rue. A young girl, dying before she had the chance to appreciate life of all it's worth. _I don't even know what to appreciate anymore._

_ Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_ A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_ Lay down your head, and close your eyes_

_ And when they open, the sun will rise._

_ Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_ Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_ Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_ Here is the place where I love you._

Cato lifts his head. Katniss is singing, her melodious voice barely audible. Rue's eyes have fluttered shut, her chest barely rising. It's almost time. Cato watches in silence as Katniss pulls Rue closer, continuing to sing.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_ A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_ Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_ And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

Katniss chokes for a moment, then delivers the final lines.

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_ Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_ Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_

_ Here is the place where I love you._

Above him, the mockingjays begins to sing, having taken up the tune almost instantly. The cannon fires, but Katniss does not flinch. She kisses Rue's forehead and gently slides away from the body. With almost mechanical movements, she fetches Marvel and Rue's packs, but remains in the clearing, her eyes still trained on Rue.

She sits in silence for several moments before jerking to her feet. She gathers a handful of wildflowers and begins to decorate Rue's body, tears still streaking down her cheeks.

Without a word, Cato gathers the small yellow wildflowers at his feet. He approaches Katniss and kneels across from her, slowly weaving a crown of flowers to place upon Rue's dark hair. Katniss does not react to Cato's presence, but when they both retrieve more flowers, she briefly brushes her fingers against the back of his hand.

Katniss rises, staring down at Rue, who looks as if she was sleeping. "Bye, Rue," she whispers, pressing the three middle fingers of her left hand to her lips before holding them out. And without another word, she turns her back on both Cato and Rue and walks away.

He follows her, of course, reaching out to grasp her elbow. "Katniss—"

She whirls around and slaps him. "You knew about the trap, didn't you!" she throws her bow down and shoves Cato, her face red. "Why didn't yo save her? Why didn't you stop him?" she shoves him again, nearly unbalancing him. "_Why did you save her?_"

He slams her against a tree, his hands on either side of her head, reminiscent of the training center, so many days ago. _Has it only been days?_

"Why did you blow up our food?" he hisses, his faces inches from hers. She is silent, her eyes locked on his.

"Because you're my enemy." she lifts her chin, unfazed. "Why should I care about what happens to you?"

In an instant, he had shoved her to the ground and had pulled his sword it. He holds it against her neck, breathing hard. "Do it." she whispers. "Just kill me already."

He wants to. He wants to take her life right now, end the heartache, the emotional pain. He was tired of her indecisiveness, her games. When she was dead, he wouldn't have to worry about keeping her safe. _Can I do it? Can I end her life now?_

He withdraws his sword, pursing his lips. "I'm not going to kill you yet." _going against my very nature._

She is surprised, the same thought passing through her head. And then she regains her composure and lunges for him. They roll, Cato landing on his back with a thud.

They stare at each other for a moment, eyes locked and mouths unmoving. A connection that had always been broken before.

His fingers curl around her waist and, suddenly, she's rolling away from him, crouching a few feet away. "This is the last time we'll see each other." she says. "No more of these games, Cato. There's six of us left. No time for romance."

"One, or perhaps both, of us will be dead soon. Stop pushing me away and just...let me in."

"You're angry with me. I can see the rage in your eyes." she pulls her bow closer. "Why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Because my love for you is stronger than my rage right now. I'm willing to hold it off until we're fighting to the death." he says, his breathing ragged. "Why can't you understand that I care about you? I'm not asking you to trust me, but to just let me love you." she looks confused, her eyes flickering over Cato's face, searching for a sliver of a lie. Anything. But there's nothing but sincerity. He can feel the frustration radiating from her. _I guess we're in the same boat when it comes to emotions._

"I can't do this now." she rises, turning away to wipe at her eyes. "I have to go. Leave me alone."

"Can we just spend one night together?" he grasps her hand in his own, pleading. "One night, that's all I'm asking. To talk. And then I'll leave you alone, I swear."

She jerks her hand away, stepping back. He waits, his heart pounding loudly. _Say yes. Please._

"Come on then. And if you can't climb trees, too bad."

* * *

><p><strong>This was a really hard chapter for me to write. Writing it actually moved me to tears (I was listening to Rue's Farewell the entire time, which made it worse). I had planned on making this chapter longer, but I decided against it. And as for Katniss's flip-flopping when it comes to her emotions, for the most part, she wanted nothing to do with Cato. They hate each other yet love each other. She wants to stay away from him, but can't help but letting her guard down when he's around. And as to her saying yes to one night, lets just say that she needs some comforting after Rue's death. Thank you for all the reviews! Please, review andor suggest a song that reminds you of Katniss/Cato!**


	7. Chapter 7

Katniss closes her fingers around the small silver parachute, her brow furrowed in confusion. Cato watches as she slowly unwraps it, revealing a small loaf of dark, grainy bread, sprinkled with seeds.

"Is this the bread from your district?" he asks quietly, watching her fingers tighten around the loaf briefly before she steps away from shadows, lifting her face to the dying sunlight.

"My thanks to the people of District Eleven." she says before promptly tucking the bread back into the parachute and into her pocket. After taking a deep breath, she turns to face him. "This tree will do."

"I'm not sleeping in a tree, Katniss." Cato crosses his arms and leans against the rough tree trunk, unwavering. "We can sleep right here." and, without waiting for her answer, he sits down, pulling his sword from his belt and placing it on the ground. "There's no one left. And even if there is, I can take them."

Her eyes narrow. "Well, you can sleep down here. I don't feel safe out in the open like this." she reaches for a low branch, but Cato grasps her backpack and tugs her away from the tree.

"Why so squirrely?" he grins as she whips the backpack off and quickly scales the tree, settling in a low fork before looking at him again. "Fine. I'll stay down here."

After several minutes, they are both settled, Katniss securely tied to a tree branch and Cato on the ground, a small fire keeping him warm. "If you weren't so terrifying and capable, I'd worry that that fire would attract attention." she says with a small smirk.

"Terrifying?" he echoes questioningly, idly picking up his sword and holding it in the heart of the flames.

"All that District 2 training." she shifts, suddenly uncomfortable. "Why is winning such an honor to you Careers? What is good about killing children?"

Cato drives the sword into the ground, the blade still glowing from the flames. Since he could walk, it had been drilled into Cato's mind that winning was everything, no matter what the means. He'd been the eldest son, the biggest, the strongest. If anyone would bring his district glory, it would be him.

"My father…he was the brother of another victor...Brutus. He thought that because he was the family of a victor, he could do whatever he wanted…since I was young, he told me that I had to be a victor. I had to be like Brutus, bring more glory to my district. And I believed him. He would get angry with me if I didn't train hard enough, if I didn't push myself to the edge to become the best. He told me that killing was natural. It was okay to kill fellow tributes because they were suffering already. Mercy-killing, he called it." Cato takes a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly. He doesn't want to see her face while admitting to this. He doesn't want to see the disgust that he feels, that he knows that burns through her veins like wildfire. He doesn't want to see her realize how much of a monster he is.

"I wanted to be strong. I wanted the glory and the fame. I wanted to be loved, since my father didn't love me. I just…but I don't want that anymore. I don't want to kill. I realize that I never did. I thought that was who I was, you know? I thought I was a killer, unafraid and unfeeling, I felt so numb sometimes. But after meeting you, I realized that I'm not unafraid nor unfeeling. Every time a tribute dies, I can feel it. I can feel their death settling in my mind, another ghost reaching for me, dragging me down. And I feel when you're around. God, I just…it scares me, you know? After years of numbness, you burst into my life, like fire." he chuckles humorlessly. "That's why I can't stay away. Even though I feel so much rage when you're around, I can't bring myself to keep my distance. You make me feel…" he can't finish.

He felt better, admitting all of that. He didn't feel as powerless as he did before, his emotions whirling through his body like a tornado, wreaking havoc to his sanity. Speaking had allowed him to organize his thoughts and find peace.

Katniss is silent, still in her perch. "Cato," she begins, her voice cracking. "I hated you. When I first saw you. You were a Career, my enemy. And even after that night in the training center, I hated you. I hated how you made me feel, like everything would be okay if you were around, you know? You made me feel safe even though you're the most dangerous tribute in these Games. I hated myself for letting my emotions get in the way. I hated everything about this—about us. So I tried to push you away. I told myself that you were my enemy, that this was wrong. But I don't care anymore. I just don't care."

There's a minute of rustling and she's sliding out of the tree, her feet gently landing on the ground. She drops her pack and sits next to him, drawing her knees up to her chest. "Look at us. Two stoics turning into romantics. And here, of all places."

After his epiphany, he wants to do nothing more than hold her close. He realized that he loved her ages ago (or so it seems) but he hadn't realized why. But now, armed with his new knowledge, he wanted to tell her. He wanted to thank her for making him feel alive.

"I love you." the words slip from his tongue before he can stop himself, and for the first time in his life, Cato blushes.

She tilts her head to look at him, her eyes, a kaleidoscope of colors—grays, blues, like a stormy sky—, meeting his blue ones. "I love you too."

He reaches for her, his long fingers cradling the back of her head lovingly. He kisses her, slow and sweet like honey, enjoying the feel of her soft mouth against his. A soft sigh escapes her mouth as he pulls her body against his, lying down on the rough ground.

They continue to kiss, his body over hers, as if protecting her from the dozens of cameras no doubt trained on them. Always protecting her.

His head is spinning, his heart is pounding. This is what love feels like, he thinks, dazed, as rough hands remove clothes and gently caress soft skin. Love is gentle kisses and honesty.

* * *

><p>When Cato blinks into consciousness, he is spooning Katniss, the fire dying and the moon bright. His limbs are loose and light, his mind content. Her hair is out of its braids, dark and loose around her bare shoulders.<p>

Animals creep around them, their footsteps lighter than air itself. A rabbit peeks through the underbrush before flying into the darkness with barely a sound. The wind is consistent but mild, slipping through the dark forest like a flock of birds. He pulls her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

He wanted to stay like this forever, in their part of the forest, where they're safe from other tributes and certain death.

But he knew that he couldn't.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter was a long time coming. I just want to thank everyone that stuck around and reviewed the story, it really means a lot! I got THG on DVD today, and I have to say that was what inspired me to write this chapter. I had intended for it to be really long, but, well, it's late and I wanted to update as soon as I could. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

When Cato awakens, he is alone, half-dressed and shivering in the cool morning air. Katniss is crouching nearby, repacking her bag in silence. "Hi." his voice is gravelly after hours of silence.

She whips around to look at him, her face a carefully composed mask. "You're still here."

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" he cocks an eyebrow, waiting for her to challenge him. "What are you doing?"

She sits, her brow furrowed as if contemplating her answer. "I went through Rue's pack. And the District 1 boy, his pack too."

"Marvel."

Katniss gives him a sharp look, her eyes stormy. "What?"

Cato swallows thickly, suddenly unsure. "His name was Marvel." Cato dresses himself, hyperaware of her. She sits in silence, toeing designs into the dirt. He feels content, satisfied. He hadn't had a good nights rest since being back home. "What did you have planned for today?"

She shrugs, jerking to her feet and shouldering her pack. "I'm heading towards the stream. Aren't you going to go find Clove?" it's hard to miss the venom in her tone.

_I thought we were past this. _He grips her arm tightly, pulling her body flush against his. She exhales loudly, her hands pressed against his chest as if in defense. "Katniss, come on. I'm sticking with you. No more lies, no more stupid games. I'm not leaving your side unless you tell me to." he murmurs, his eyes flickering over her face. "Got it?"

She nods, lifting her gaze to his. "Got it." and before either of them can say another word, she's up on her tiptoes, pressing a chaste kiss to Cato's mouth. "Come on."

* * *

><p>In his eighteen years of life, Cato had never met anyone that asked so many questions. Katniss wanted to know about everything: his family, life in District 2, his favorite color, his favorite food, <em>everything<em>. He'd never met anyone that cared about his life. Everyone back home saw him as a piece of meat, a beast, and nothing more. But she saw past that. She saw him for who he was and he liked that.

"Why are you so interested in District 2?" he asks around midday, when they're camped under a tree and waiting for a groosling to finish cooking. "Why don't you tell me about District 12?"

She shrugs, poking at the bird with a stick. "There's little food and little electricity. Everything is covering in coal dust." she leans back and watches the tendrils of smoke drift up the the sky. "District 2 is much more interesting, trust me."

He smirks, absently trailing his fingers over the leaves on the ground. They glide beneath his fingers, vivid in their hues and delicate in their texture. Beneath one, he finds a small wildflower, the petals a delicate shade of pink. Between two petals is a circle of orange, with a small ring of green inside. He plucks it from the earth and holds it up to Katniss. "The Capitol is watching you."

She rolls her eyes and swats at him. "They are." she mutters darkly. Cato reaches for her then, pushing a few strands of hair away from her face so he can tuck the flower behind her ear. "Cato? What do you think they show the districts? Between us?" his fingers linger on the smooth skin of her throat, seeking out her pulse, before dropping into his lap once again.

"Nothing." he answers. His voice is casual, nonchalant, but the thought of it makes his chest ache. The thought of this existing solely between the two of them makes his head spin in ways that he wished it didn't. The rest of the world won't know that it's possible for two enemies to find a common ground and bond. They won't know that there's more than destruction and hatred within the arena.

_This is ridiculous. I'm turning into a whining baby._

Katniss hums quietly, absently poking at the groosling again. "I suppose you're right." she grins then, a spark of mischief in her eyes. "But we can still rub it in their faces." She crawls into his lap, straddling his waist with a shit-eating grin on her face. _She should grin more. She's so much more beautiful when she does, which is hard to believe._

She cradles his face in her rough hands, placing a gentle kiss to his forehead. He settles his hands on her waist, tracing the sliver of exposed skin between her pants and shirt. She kisses his nose, his chin, each of his eyelids, but not his lips, not yet. He relishes each touch from her. He knows that they're limited, so he files each one away for a rainy day, when he aches for the taste of her skin and has nothing next to him but air.

"I still can't believe you've turned me into this girly mess of a thing." she remarks casually, her thumb pressed to his lips. "It's disgusting."

"That's what love does to people."

"It all happened so fast." they lapse into silence then, their faces turned away from each other in thought. There's an ache in Cato's bones, weighing him down so much that he can barely speak. This feels final, as if this is their last day together. The thought is causing him more pain than it should.

He knows that this arena isn't forever. This is just a prelude of what is to come, a preface for the rest of his life. Or his death. It was foolish of him to get so attached to this place, soaked in blood and pain. And yet he did. Part of him wishes that he could stay here forever, sit in this sunny meadow with Katniss and never have to leave again. Part of him wishes that this was permanent. This hour, this minute. He knows that as soon as this moment is over, there will be more bloodshed. Someone will die, probably at his hands, and that thought kills him. Before, it would have brought him a sort of sick pleasure, the thought of having control over someone else's life when he had no control over his own. But now it makes him ill, weak at the thought of killing another for the pleasure of other. He wishes things were different. He wishes that he'd met Katniss under different circumstances.

But he knows that without the Games, he would have never met her. And because of that, a part of him is grateful, grateful for the Games for giving him something to look forward to, someone to love.

"Cato." Katniss's fingers on his face bring him back to the present. "Come back to me."

He glances up at her, dazed. There's a question on her lips, but before she can bring it to life, he's kissing her, pulling her small body against his. If this is one of their final moments, let it be a moment that he will treasure for the rest of his life.

He undresses her, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her tanned skin, watching her come undone beneath his fingers. As they share their last moment together, he whispers "I love you" over and over again, as if it's an anchor keeping him tethered to that moment, to her, so that he doesn't drift out to sea, to the reality of their lives.

* * *

><p>That evening, as Cato and Katniss rest around one of Rue's signal fires (<em>Cato admonishes her as she lights the fire, ranting about signaling other tributes to their location. She raises an eyebrow, saying that the only tribute she would have to worry about coming after her was Cato himself)<em>, Claudius Templesmith makes an announcement. Cato is too busy sharpening one of his blades to listen closely, but he catches the gist of it.

When the woods have gone silent once again, Katniss is staring at him, her mouth agape. And before he say can anything, she shouts Peeta's name.

"What?" Cato drops his sword, his jaw slack. "Two tributes?"

Katniss is mumbling to herself and sweeping the woods around her, as if expecting Peeta to burst from a bush at any moment.

Cato thinks back to Clove, still waiting by the lake for him. It's been nearly two days now, she must be worried. Can he save her? Or is it all just a trick, dangling freedom in front of their faces and snatching it back at the last moment? And what about Katniss? Can it be applied to both of them, despite their different districts?

He stops himself cold. They would never allow that and he knows it.

"I have to find Peeta." Katniss snaps him out of his reverie like a slap to the face. "I have to find Peeta."

"What?" Cato has gone cold. "Why?"

She looks up at him, but her eyes are distant, already focused on something else. "Cato, he's my district partner. I have to save him."

"What about us? What about me?" he sounds like a child and he hates it, hates himself for feeling afraid.

"Clove is still alive. We all have a chance." she's excited now, eyes dancing with the possibilities. She leaps to her feet and begins to pace. "I just have to find him. Hopefully that cut on his leg isn't—"

Cato whispers her name, desperate for her attention. She's too far gone, though, silently planning how she's going to get both her and Peeta out of there alive. "Katniss!" she finally goes still. "What about me? All four of us can't just walk out of here."

She sinks next to him, wrapping her arms around her knees. "We can't both walk out of here alive, Cato. Even with this new rule, it's just not happening." she takes a deep breath, as if resolving herself. "You go find Clove and I go after Peeta. It gives us all a chance."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. I'm not leaving you behind to go chase after Clove. She can take care of herself." he sounds like a stubborn child, but he's through with taking the Capitol's games lying down. "Katniss, it's you and me, we're in this together. We're both going to get out of here."

"Clove is your district partner. You can't just abandon her. I'm not abandoning Peeta and you can't ask me to."

"Why? Do you owe him something?" Cato is shouting now, blood pounding in his ears. "What about me?"

"Peeta saved my life! I owe him everything. He doesn't deserve this!"

"And I do?" Cato leaps to his feet. His chest is heaving, aching with the weight of their words. This shouldn't be happening. They shouldn't be fighting. Not now.

"No! But I'm not leaving him behind. I'm going after him and you're going to find Clove and this is over." she stands as well, her jaw tight and her gaze unwavering. "This…stupid fantasy had to come to an end anyway."

With those words, a sliver of ice drops down Cato's spine. "How can you say that?"

"Come on! Did you really think that we were both going to walk out of here alive? This was doomed from the start!"

"You're not even going to try and fight for it?" he's so frustrated he wants to punch something. He hasn't felt this sort of rage in days. Not since she'd been around.

She takes a deep, ragged breath. Her eyes are bright with unshed tears. "I want to. But I know that it's impossible. But saving him…that isn't impossible. I love you, Cato, but I can't put your survival before my own."

"I would never ask you to." he sinks to the ground once again. He has nothing else to say. He knows that she's going after Peeta regardless of him. It was foolish of him to challenge her. _I guess it's that fire that I love so much._ He smiles bitterly and picks up his sword once again.

After several moments, she sits next to him again, her body tense. "We'll go our separate ways in the morning."

That night, they lie facing each other. In the moonlight, her features are thrown into sharp relief. There's none of the softness that he'd grown accustomed to seeing. She's as hard and unwavering as the day he first saw her on national television. _She's already pulling away from me._

Her eyes meet his, the millions of questions they held silenced. Here she is, composed and in control, and there he is, falling apart at the seams.

_The best thing to ever happen to me and it's ending._

"I love you." she whispers. Her eyes are closed, her lashes quivering on her cheek. Cato repeats it quietly and allows his eyes to close so that he can grieve.

Nearby, a bird begins to sing, filling the still night air with four sweet notes before going silent once again.

_When did I become so attached?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: To say that this chapter was a long time coming would be an understatement. A big thank you to all that reviewed/favorited/followed, you guys are beautiful! My summer break has officially begun (Class of 2013 whoooo) so this story will be updated more often, pinkie promise! Lots of love! **


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